


When the clock strikes twelve

by Katakatica



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bittybones, Angst, Fluff, Gen, Minor Violence, Original Character Death(s), Platonic Relationships, Sick Character, gets pretty sad, im sorry, protective edgy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-08
Updated: 2017-07-02
Packaged: 2018-06-07 05:39:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 17
Words: 15,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6787927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katakatica/pseuds/Katakatica
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Your mother had always had an odd taste in gifts: for your tenth birthday, she had gotten you a large doll that was nearly your size. You had always feared it and yet, for long years, she had assumed it was your 'best friend'. Many years later, she had sent you clothes that were not your style or far too big or even items you already had from books to games... You loved her, you really did, but oftentimes you prayed that she would just forget it. You were running low on time, anyway, what was the use of giving things to you?<br/>It was on one lonely day that the gift she had for you was something different.<br/>Something that would light up the remnants of your short life. But could you truly treasure it before...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. And they meet

_"Are you sure it's a good idea?" the quiet voice of the bitty curled against her chest made the middle-aged woman stop for a moment. Her pale lips curled into a sad smile as she nodded, brining her lips down on the little thing's forehead. His cheeks flushed a brighter blue and his blue flames - or well, whatever had made his little body up - flared up with glee at the gentle form of affection._

_"She has been alone for so long. I think you two is all she needs to open up a little," the woman reached into her pocket for her other companion who was snoring quietly, looking so much smaller than when he was awake. Her heart pained at the thought of not seeing them for at least a short while, but if it meant that she could help her daughter in any way..."As long as you behave, my dear, I'm sure that everything will be fine."_

_The woman took a deep breath and placed the little things on the doormat in front of the worn-looking wooden door before laying down a letter next to them. She knew that her actions screamed coward, but she could not face the inhabitant of the small apartment. Not after..._

_Before she could have decided that her plan was truly rotten and went back on it, she patted the bitties one last time before taking off as quick as she could. She had even failed to knock: though that had been her initial idea. Knock and run away like a fool._

_There were tears in her eyes as she fled, finding her car in the crowded parking lot within minutes. It had taken her such a short time to accomplish her mission: she should have felt pride. But she did not, as the only emotions swelling in her chest was an overwhelming emptiness. It mercilessly clawed at her soul, turning her gaze dark and thoughts even darker. Her hands clutched the wheel as she sped off, ignoring all limitations. All she knew was that she had to get away._

_"I'm sorry." she yelled to herself, feeling bare: naked in her own car. Her voice rose and rose as she repeated the same word again and again, near hysterics. She knew well that what she had done was wrong, that she should have done something else, but... She was not brave enough._

The bitties trembled near each other, curled up into the tiny blankets their _old_ owner had given them. It was odd to call her that: she had barely taken them home and now, she had left. Neither of them had ever been returned to the _shop_ they had been adopted from and therefore, the mere concept of having another new owner in such short time was alien to them.

"Do you think something bad is gonna happen?" the little-blue flame asked, voice quivering. He had never been so scared in his short life. After all, they were out in the open, left on a doorstep with a letter and nothing else. What if they were only noticed when it was late? Or... if something bad happened to them?

The other bitty did not reply for a long time. He was now sitting cross-legged, leaning ahead a bit as he eyes the door suspiciously, hunting for a bell that could save their **skin**.

He chuckled deeply to himself at the stupidity of his mere thoughts, looking down at his bony phalanges. It was funny because he had no skin. Humans called him a _skeleton_.

"i don't care," he said finally, voice low untrue. He did care, even if he dared not admit it to himself or his companion. After all, they needed food to survive. And to have food, they needed an owner. They were not rats or something akin: they could not just live off scraps they found in dumpsters. He had stories of bitties that had been abandoned and met such a fate. While it was completely possible for them to survive for a week or maybe two, their little bodies have not been brought into the world for that. They were not weak: they had magic. But... they _needed_ humans. As sappy and twisted it needed, they depended on the presence of the humans they bonded with. Even those who were considered loners craved for contact and the like, mainly because it acted like fuel in their bodies. Their souls fed off the attention, the love they received. Surely, they needed food to function as well, but humans were something they needed more. If a bitty was thrown out by its owner and were not taken in by someone else or taken back to the _shops_ they came from, they were to surely die within a week or so.

At the sheer thought of how strong and weak they were at the same time, the skeleton-bitty snarled to himself, his  left eye flaring red with his magic for a moment. He nodded to himself before standing up, raising his hand with a sigh. There was no bell: all he could do was knock and hope that whoever was inside the apartment would hear. And that he did, bringing his knuckles down the firm wood with enough strength to make some noise, but not enough to injure himself.

The other bitty slowly stood as well, his blue flame-like hands banging softly against the wood as well just a short minute later."Someone, please?" he asked, polite as ever. At that, the skeleton just rolled his eyes. His companion was so odd, even when their life could depend on it.

Just as they were ready to give up, having knocked for many, many minutes, they finally heard the telltale sounds of a key being turned: finally, someone was letting them in!

"Uh..yeah?" asked a weak, raspy voice. It came from the small, thin human that opened the door, only her head sticking out."Are you guys lost?" breathless she seemed to be, leaning against the door, as if opening it had cost her much energy.

"uh. no?" it was the skeleton bitty that spoke up, his voice rough but unsure. He eyes the human warily. Did their old owner really think that such a scrawny, weak thing could take care of them? He highly doubted it.

"Then..what?" came the reply, unsure and hoarse as the young woman finally stepped outside, closing the door behind her delicately."Are you looking for someone?"

It was the flame-like bitty that spoke next, sticking out his tiny hand: he wanted to shake her finger as it had been taught to him by their old owner."We are looking for you. I think!" he said sweetly."I'm Curly and this is Edgy!" he said, feeling as if that was the right thing to do.

Because the moment he finished his little speech, the human _broke_.

 


	2. Heartbreak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the bitties find out that they absolutely cannot stay.

_It was not the first time that the woman ended up drinking her sorrows away, but as always, she had sworn that it would be the last one. After all, with the little parting gift, she had said her goodbye to her daughter. Was it selfish of her to abandon the one that needed her the most? Probably. But did that really matter? The bitties would be able to take care of her little girl, probably better than she ever could have. What hurt the most was probably the finality of her choice. Before, despite the fact that they have not met for long, they would at least exchange a word or two on sunny Sundays over the phone. However now.. now those briefs talks would disappear, too. She could not bear the pain of even just listening to the slowly-breaking voice of her daughter._

_She was a coward and she knew it. A mother was supposed to take care of her flesh and blood, protect it with her life... And yet she ran away like a fool, rotten beliefs clouding her mind._

Curly winced visibly at the shattering sobs that came from the human, watching as she crumpled in a mess of shaking shoulders and weak whimpers. So badly, he wanted to comfort hurt... But he wasn't sure what to do. Edgy seemed to be at lost, too, the glare he had shot the human before softening into an almost worried haze of crimson pinpricks in his eyesockets. If anything, he looked somewhat startled by the sudden outburst coming from their apparent owner.

"Miss, are you okay?" It was still Curly who spoke first, walking to her on shaky legs and pressing his tiny hands against her cheeks. For that, he had to climb up her knees and he did just that, nearly tumbling down."We did not scare you, did we?"

The innocence of those simple words, the naivety behind them made the human tremble even more, one of her hands slowly moving to grab Curly. She had been so, so delicate. As if she was handling something more precious than her own life.

Edgy watched from a few feet away, sitting once more. He had leant forward a little, gaze set on the near translucent skin of the young woman's arms as she wrapped them around Curly in an attempt to steady him fully. He was sure that this was not healthy. It wasn't as if he cared but... wasn't their owner supposed to be strong so she could take care of them? Wary, he sat up a bit straighter, part of him just itching to find out what would happen.

"I.." the girl's voice was breathier than before and her eyes held so much pain... but she smiled. It made Curly perk up just a little, his attention on her solely. He could not help but think how she was somewhat pretty like that, lips curled into a weak but sweet smile."I'm fine. But... we will have to talk.."

She suddenly crouched down, sharp breath escaping pale lips as if she was in pain. Edgy wondered why as most humans he had seen had no trouble doing such easy things. He did not ask however: he did not even have the choice as she finally turned her full attention to him. He wasn't fully satisfied however: she was still holding Curly, cradling him as if he were her only companion.

Because of that, the moment she outstretched her hand to him, Edgy bit down on her finger and growled for good measure, left hand flashing red.

"Hey... don't do that.." she did not even flinch, albeit her voice cracked a bit as she took a step back, pain clear in her gaze."Do you want me to help you into the house, little guy? Or...?" she trailed off there, tilting her head to the side just a bit.

Edgy just shrugged, snapping his teeth at her still when she tried to reach for him again. He did not like how she had not asked Curly just held him. The fact that it had been him who had not approached her first did not even occur to him. It wasn't that he cared...

But maybe he should not have bitten her. Blood was dripping from her wound at fast pace. It was thin and smelled weird.

"I.. I'll just get that letter first, okay? Just come in but please don't break anything."

There wasn't many things to break at all. Edgy had to conclude as he looked around, glaring at Curly that now sat on the human's shoulder, hugging it with his small arms. He seemed incredibly content, as if he had never been happier in his short life.

 "human, why is your house so..bare?" Truth to his words, the living room was just...naked. Everything was a pale beige or white and other than a couch and a TV there was nothing there. Not even a rug. The walls held nothing interesting, just a single picture. It must have been from the past: the girl was on it with her mother. Both of them looked younger and...different.

"It must be so you don't have anything to break," Curly was clutching onto the girl's neck as he spoke, his voice soft but words sharp. Edgy nearly snarled at the spoiled little brat. He may have acted like an angel but Edgy already knew him well enough to know that if he wanted to be.. he could be a little devil. Just like now.

The girl said nothing: she was already busy reading the letter her mother had gotten her. Edgy took in the way her hands shook, a frown settled between her brows. It was quite obvious that she was everything but content with the situation. He should have known that only he was lucky enough to be passed off to someone who cared not for bitties. Sure, she seemed to handle Curly well, but...

"We will have to call my mom. You guys can't stay here." was what she said finally, a deep sigh escaping her. Sorrow settled on her face as Curly started whimpering softly: it was just so obvious that he did not want to leave her. He got attached so easily.

Edgy watched her for the rest of the hour or so. She held Curly delicately and told him of a home much better than hers. One in which both he and Edgy would be happy. She never once mentioned herself as she talked: only them. As if what would happen to her did not matter.

Edgy had found seat by her on the simple couch, his gaze set on her as she cooed and whispered like a mother soothing her children.  Despite her lack of physical strength and all, she seemed so care..perfect to be a caretaker of bitties. Even Edgy had to admit that. And yet, she wanted them out of her house as soon as she could. Why, he didn't know.

But...part of him wanted to find out.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew. this was hard to write. so much sadness :D Anyway, Edgy seems a bit off to even me, sorry bout that guys (will 'fix' his attitude, but tbh I'd be like this too if suddenly I was dropped off at a random doorstep lol. So... I was wondering if you guys would like to see any other bitties in the story? I have some ideas of mine own but can't really choose, so... :) (we definitely need someone very very caring for sure, but there are so many adoooorable bitties *.*) Anyway, feel free to talk to me or anything. I don't bite... 
> 
>  
> 
> or do I :P


	3. Wildflower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Edgy discovers something utterly beautiful...and something heartbreaking.

Edgy watched as Curly sat curled on the dinner table, his legs dangling off as he sipped a medicine-cap full of hot tea. He looked so content like that, as if he had no care in the world. Edgy was a little different: despite the fact that he had gotten a tiny cap filled with mustard, he could not calm down. The human girl was not with them in the dining room: she had said just some minutes ago that she had something to do. It was a little suspicious. Why couldn't she stay in the same room as them when she did whatever she had to do? She had already stated that she had no intention of keeping them. What could she do to them that would be worse than that?

The skeleton-bitty let out a huff as he teleported to the lone chair that sat in front of the table, white like nearly everything else in the room, then down to the floor. Curly looked down at him, tilting his head to the side. It was clear that he had no idea what his companion was doing.

"I'll check on her," Edgy muttered with a sigh, his cheekbones glowing red when the annoying blue... water-elemental grinned down at him.

"Try not to get caught. She said that we shouldn't follow her. Maybe if we behave..." he did not say the rest of his sentence, opting to just sip take another gulp of his tea before leaning back a little. It was clear what he had meant, however.

Edgy just nodded, carefully slipping down onto the floor. He was, for once, careful with his movements. After all, this time he did not want to make any noise.

Then again, it wasn't as if there was much stuff to break at all. The entire place was just like the living room. Naked. The walls were bare save for maybe two or three pictures and a painting or two, and they held no colour, no life.  Edgy would have been lying if he said that he was not a little unsettled by the odd atmosphere. Still, he could not dwell on that too much: he had to find out what the human was doing. After all, even if not for long, she was his owner.

It did not take him long to find her: she had run off to what he had assumed to be her room. The door was a soft grey, almost blending in with the wall around it. It was partially open, which caused Edgy to brighten up just a little. He could already hear her voice - albeit it was hushed and he couldn't understand much of what he was saying - but he was not satisfied with that. New emotions flared up in his soul as he slipped into the room, expecting it to be the same as the rest of the house.

It was not.

Edgy stood, awe-struck as he looked around, somewhat glad that she was sitting on the ground, not facing him. The ceiling around him was a dark blue, littered with soft-white stars that seemed to glow albeit the lamp was lit. Each wall was different: the one directly in front of him held a painting of the sea, something he had only seen on pictures before. The waves seemed _alive_. He could almost see them crash softly against the shore.. The wall to the right which had a small desk set in front of it was decorated by the intricate picture of a mountain. It was incredibly accurate, too: from bottom to top, there were less and less plants and trees on it. The top had nothing but snow... Above it, was the dark night sky, blending in perfectly with the colour of the ceiling. It was just so..perfect.

Edgy gulped as he took another tentative step inside: the girl had still yet to notice him. She was talking to someone on the phone still, voice weak, but different from what she had used when dealing with him and Curly. It was... it held a certain emotion the small skeleton could not quite comprehend.

He plopped down as quietly as he could, keeping an ear - he almost chuckled out loud as he did not possess one - at the human before turning his head to the right. It took all of his willpower not to gasp: the scene there was the most beautiful thing he had seen in his short life. It was a painting like all the others, but it held more than they did. Grass greener than green and wildflowers _everywhere_. He seemed like wonderland itself had came to greet him. He could almost hear the soft wind whistle, smell the sweet scent of all the flowers, hear the quiet buzzing of the bees around...

Just as he was about to check the last wall, excitement building in his soul, he heard the human let out a soft, distressed sniff. It nearly escaped his attention, but...

"I will be bringing them in first thing tomorrow. Thank you so much for understanding. I... trust me, I would keep them if I could.." and her voice broke. Just then, she stood up. Edgy, startled, made a dash to the small dining room, breathless. His soul felt heavy: he had seen something so beautiful but... he had also gained the knowledge that twisted his mind. He wanted to yell at the human, tell her just how stupid she was being... He was on the table by the time she arrived, _glaring._

"Why are you being such a bitch?" he growled out, looking her straight in the eye. He wanted to know her answer. He wanted to know why she wanted them away when she had cried about how she could _not_ keep them. What was her reason? Or had she just been acting when she had broken down before and even now? What if she was just crafty for a human, knowing that she would come out of such an awkward situation better if she acted like a poor little victim.

"Edgy, please do not talk to her that way," Curly spoke up quietly, a yawn escaping him. It was so clear that he had no idea that they would be taken back just the next day... Edgy wanted to spoil his mood but...

"I'll go and prepare your beds in a moment. Would you like to eat or drink anything else while I do that?"

Edgy shook his head with a small snarl while Curly nodded, explaining how he would have absolutely loved some fruits. Within moments she rushed off to get him some.

Neither of the bitties could see the tears in her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, two chapters in one day? If only I spent this time studying, I'd get such great grades :D Anyway, I absolutely adored writing this chapter for some time, from the first word to the last :D Hope you guys liked it, too <3 I'm still contemplating on the bitties I will be adding. Horror Sans was definitely a good idea :P I'm considering Meek, too, and maybe others :3 I have a lot of favorites... and for some reason I also seem to love the ones that are not 'as' popular as some others :D (like, at least on this site, idk much about tumblr so yea. I...have a tumblr but im so clumsy at using it... O.O so yea :D If all goes well next chapter will introduce at least two more potential bitties tho <3 I have this scene planned...  
> prepare your hearts (and tissues..)


	4. Back to the Shop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Curly and Edgy lose their hope.  
> (and someone else dies a little more inside..)

Curly did not understand why they were being taken back to the shop. After all, they had behaved: even Edgy had acted somewhat acceptably, and he had not broken anything. Sure, he may have spoken a bit rudely but... It wasn't if it was not in his nature. And well, Curly had been at his absolute best behavior. He had even tried to help out at breakfast, claiming that he was already skilled at cooking. While that may have been a small white lie, he had managed not to harm himself or the simple dishes they made.

Edgy, at that, had crudely remarked that maybe making cereal was not considered cooking, and that the human had been fully capable of doing it herself.

But... Curly liked helping her. While it was clear that she did not want the bitties, she lit up when they did something for her. Her cheeks would flush and lips curl into a tiny but pretty smile...

"Well well, who has decided to visit us again?" Curly was quite surprised to know that the part-time worker already knew the girl. After all, she had no bitties of her own. While would she not be unknown by the staff? Curly himself had only met the young woman once before as mostly, he had been taken care of by Mama Cry. He had preferred her, so he had not minded it much."I'm so glad to see you.." her words froze in her throat when she noticed Curly and Edgy. Why? Both bitties wondered.

"Yes... My mom... thought that giving me these two little ones would be a good idea." the voice of the human he could not think of as his owner anymore made Edgy flinch inwardly: it was filled with a certain kind of desperation that made his soul clench. He didn't like the way sorrow supped into those soft words either.

"Oh dear," the clerk said nothing, but sadness flashed in her eyes briefly as she reached out for the bitties."Hey Edgy, Curly, welcome back!" she said. It was quite clear that she was forcing herself to act cheerful."Anyway, I suppose you don't have much time to wander around today, do you?" she turned back to the human, carefully placing Edgy on her shoulder.

Only then did Curly noticed that the other bitties, even the shyer ones were all staring at the human, their little bodies pressed against the walls of their small habitats. It was odd: many of them had been there for a long time and thus, they were quite wary of strangers. And yet, there they were, tiny crowds letting out collective 'no's when they realized that the human would probably not be staying for long.

"Yeah, sadly I gotta go home. But don't worry guys, I will be back soon with a surprise..." Edgy watched as the human addressed all the other bitties. He did not like it at all: she seemed too familiar with them. He had never seen her before -  though he had not been there for long,- but all of the others acted like they were friends with her.

Before he could have yelled after her, she turned on her heel and left as quickly as she could.

Edgy wondered if only he had seen the tears in her eyes when she turned.

"I'm so sorry for you two..." the clerk whispered softly, cradling both little bitties. Curly was crying softly, almost instantly clutching at the collar of her shirt, tightly. Edgy was glaring on the other hand,, showing him the sharp little fangs he had."I.. I don't think it's my place to tell, but still, trust me that if she could, she would let you stay with her."

"Then why did she take us back?" Edgy snarled, his eyes blazing red from anger."She took us back I bet because it's 'the best for us', right? Is she fucking poor or what?"

"Edgy!" Curly chided him gently, still sniffing."She probably has a reason... maybe we were bad... Maybe we should have done everything different.. or just... just.. she didn't want us. Because... it wasn't her who got us..."

"And you are still protecting her? Just how stupid are you? She abandoned us without giving us a fucking chance!" Edgy's voice cracked but he kept his glare, now looking at Curly. He wished that the other would just understand how cruel the human they had been given had been...

"Edgy, please. Trust me, I know this girl. If she could, she would take you two home... and all of the others, too. She has come here many times and she is always happy to play with all of them. You two hadn't been here the last time she had come, or before but... I'm sure that if she comes again, you will get along just fine. She can't take any of you home, but when she can, she comes here to play."

"Liar." Edgy growled out as he was placed back in the little aquarium that he had shared with all the other edgies before, opting to shuffle into the corner and sit down."She's just a stupid little bitch.."

"No she's not. It's not my place to tell you guys her reason, but trust me she has one. But maybe when she comes back she will tell you more..."

Neither of them said anything after that...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really quick chapter, but angsty T.T I.. feel bad for the bitties but trust me I have a plan... secrets can't stay secrets for long sadly.. and well, it's time for one to be uncovered... 
> 
> also, if you have any ideas for fanart or anything, just..do it :PPP I myself can't draw (or well, technically there are scenes I could do if my tablet was working but it's not,(been busted since January :D) I wanted to make a photoshopped version of Reader's room but the pen(?) for the tablet is broken and probably will be for a while and my mouse sucks so...  
> Anyway, angst is ending soonish (well, the first batch of angst :D) I hope that you can bear with it for a little more <3 Thank you all for the wonderful comments and kudos and stuff <3 I love you all :3


	5. Paper and Ink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which it's so, so cold...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: MENTIONS OF DEATH (and dark thoughts in general). It's not too brutal but the concept is, so..be careful with reading ^^

The house felt empty. She knew well that what she had done was _right_ , but just that could not fill the space with life. It was cold, too: the heating was on but she kept shivering, hands hidden deep in the pockets of her woolen sweater. The material made her skin itch and she could almost _feel_ rashes blooming on ashen skin, but it was the warmest piece of clothing she had. On days like that, all she could pray was for the chilly air to seep out from her house, back outside where it belonged.

Maybe it was the embrace of fate she could feel already. Which each passing day, her time on Earth was growing shorter. All her pills did by that point was make her numb to the maddening pain. Doctors had long given up on her... Every night, she lay in bed thinking that she would not wake up...

And yet, she always did.

Had she done something horrible in a past life that she had been tossed into such purgatory on the very planet she was supposed to live happy until she died? She existed, but each of her thoughts were plagued by thoughts of passing. Not even a second passed without her wondering when her final hour would come. Even when she _worked_ , pouring her very soul into each precise line of graphite on paper, she could not tear her mind from what would be happening to her so soon...

The girl curled up on her bed, clutching a pillow to her chest. Breathing hurt, but only a little. As always, the pain itself was bearable. The thought of what was causing it however, was not. As time passed, moments, minutes, hours, she could not help but left her thoughts drift.

She wondered if the bitties her mother had wanted to be with her until she..died were alright. She definitely was not, for one... While she had not showed it, she had grown to adore the two within the first minute of seeing them. Edgy reminded her of herself on rare, better days: defiant, facing danger- death, in her case, getting yelled at in his - while Curly was the friends she had pushed away so easily. Caring, gentle... sweet. How could she even think of allowing two pure beings like them close to her? Just what had her mother been thinking?

"What a coward.." the snigger that escaped her was so bitter, so dark, it made even her shudder. Or was that the cold still? She just did not know anymore. A chuckle, delirious, followed and her lips stretched into a grin. It held no mirth, no glee, just _pain_.

She was lonely. Shivering, breathing heavy, she pleaded for her mind to slip into the state of delusion when it would allow her to believe that she was not alone. It had happened so many times before... So why wasn't it happening now? Why was she so, so dangerously aware of how her sole companion was her restless mind? While couldn't she ignore reality just for a while?

Oftentimes, her room soothed her soul. It was, unlike the rest of her house, _lively_ , filled with colors and images of a life she loved so much. If she tried really, really hard, could still recall a time when she was allowed to go out without any risks, when she could lay in the soft grass, stare at the sky, listen to the soothing melodies of the sea... It was odd: with each day that passed, her memories faded more and more. If she was not in her room, it happened quite frequently that she could not remember something. Maybe how the sand would feel under her bare toes on afternoons when the sun was out and _blazing_ , or how stars would twinkle at night, shyly greeting those who were still around at late hours. In cases like those, she needed _help_ , something to remind her what she was missing out on.

It was cruel of her to think like that, she knew it. Cruel to herself, maybe even sadistic in a way. But it was  as true as _dark_ : while others lived their life, their own happily ever afters, their own stories with beautiful princesses and princes and family and pets, and... she stayed inside more and more, scared of what could happen if she caught something. The flu, or a cold or just...

While some days she would have welcomed death with open arms, on others, her will to survive just a little longer was strong. And if for that, she had to abandon so many things then... She was ready to do it.

The next morning found her still alive and a little better, hunched over her desk with a thoughtful expression. She was sketching, her right hand clutching her pencil tight as she tried to get every little detail right. Before she knew it, the Edgy that had almost been hers was staring at her from the paper, clad in brand new clothes. While his head seemed a little too oval and his arms were definitely longer than they should have been, the dark T-shirt and jeans combo he wore was just perfect. She had always been best at thinking up ideas for clothing. For humans, too: she had been drawing many for as long as she could remember. Before she had fallen _ill_ , she had made some of her own designs come to life with so much work, so much dedication but... Those times had come to an end. Her better works, she had someone else make, with precision she could not muster anymore. Drawing was alright, still, albeit it was getting harder and harder, but sewing and such, she could not handle anymore. She had no patience for it, nor the sure hands that did not tremble after more than a few minutes of usage. Even her paper was covered in so many extra lines now...

Had she been holding a needle... the result would not have been so peaceful.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew. I wanted to add a completely different scene but I ended up not doing it, maybe in the next chapter :D Reader has such a sad life (and you will see so many more things about her later, this was just one part of her poor, dark soul..)
> 
> I do wonder though...what will Edgy and Curly say if they find this out? :3


	6. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Edgy finds himself on the streets...

_"Help!"_

Edgy woke to a still-familiar voice echoing in his skull, pin-pricks of red light in his sockets glowing madly. His soul felt heavy and he was shaking. Without really realizing what he was doing, the bitty struggled out of the habitat he lived in, careful not to alert the others who were all snoozing peacefully. It had taken him quite a long time to actually find himself down on the floor, but it had seemed much longer.

He was in a rush, but he did not know _where_ to. He just followed his instincts, sneaking out with precision he had never known he possessed. And then, he was running through the cold rain.

It was the dead of night: only the pale glow of the moon and stars lit up the sky. The streets were void of any signs of life. But he did not ponder on that too much, short legs carrying him to his destination too fast for him to truly take in his surroundings. He had taken to teleporting from one place to another: while the distances he could cower like that were still incredibly short, it was still quicker than running. It did drain his magic, however. He was panting a little, glowing-red drops of sweat trickling down his forehead. But he did not give up: he kept pushing himself ahead forward. He had a place to be at.

Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the very same door he had been placed in front of on _that_ day. The lights of his eyes fading, the skeleton snarled, ramming his head into the wooden door without really thinking. What surprised him was how it opened at the push: wasn't it supposed to be locked? From what he knew, humans valued safety. Most probably, his _almost-owner_ did, too. But then why hadn't she closed the door properly?

Edgy knew that he was doing the wrong thing. He should not have been there: it was not his house, not his territory. Not _his_ human either. But something was calling out to him, something from the depth of the house.

Minutes later, he finally found out _what_.

The human lay on the floor of her living room, almost completely motionless. Her eyes were open and lips parted, moving in a rushed manner as if she was uttering a prayer. She was sprawled out in an awkward position, legs twisted. Had she tripped over something?

The panic that burnt through the air, was his, Edgy knew it. He had never seen a human in such a state, and secretly he had always prayed that he would never have to. He was strong and _harsh_ and maybe a little brash at times but... he knew well that humans were different. They were soft and frail and it was just so easy for them to get sick... to die. Even though he was so much smaller than even children, he held far more power than any of them did. Surely, his soul was different from theirs and weaker, too, and technically he needed the presence of a human - after bonding to them - to survive, but it was still harder to harm him than them.

"E..edgy?" his name tore the bitty out of his darkening thoughts. He looked up and scattered to the girl's head, trying to help her lift it a little as she coughed rough and _loud_. The disturbing noise bounced off the empty walls of the room, making the small skeleton shudder. "What are you doing here?" she asked finally: her voice was odd, breathy as she breathed heavily between each syllable, clearly struggling to utter them. The sight made the bitty flinch inwardly. He was angry at her or _worse_ , he was furious. But... seeing her like that, so weak, so vulnerable made worry replace the budding hatred he felt. His soul _ached_ for her...

"I don't know," he replied after minutes of silence, breaking it with a whisper that was so unlike the way he usually spoke. She seemed to have noticed it, too, because she lifted a trembling hand and patted his head.

As if he was the one that needed help.

"You need to go back," she breathed out and suddenly she was sitting up. She staggered and nearly fell back, but almost as if she was used to this, she pushed herself back, opting to support herself with putting her hands on the ground by her sides."I would offer to take you back but.."

"You need to see a doctor," Edgy interrupted her, his voice suddenly stern and low as he looked her dead in the eye."Did you get sick?"

That was the second time he saw her break. But this time, it was him who tried to wipe her tears away clumsily.

He did not even notice how it wasn't only her who was crying. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, writing this fic is more draining than I ever thought it would be :D Anyway, I'm not fully satisfied with this chapter but it had to happen :D the big reveal was supposed to happen differently but I guess this has to do for now :D also, anyone has any ideas on why Edgy had ran to our dear Reader? How he knew what was going on? Whoever guesses right... :3 well, idk what will happen to 'em but they should be happy that they guessed right
> 
>  
> 
> ok sorry that was lame and incoherent im wayyy too sleepy for this :D but feel free to tell me which other bitties you think would fit the story <3 I was given some ideas and have some of my own but it'd be interesting to see what you guys think still :D


	7. To sleep (and to Protect)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edgy makes sure that no harm comes to the human while she sleeps.

"can you take me back in the morning?" the way Edgy spoke made her wince inwardly. She had told him about _everything_. How she was so sick. how she just wanted to protect him and Curly and all the other sweet bitties that she had wanted to take home... How she wished she could go against her own morals... And that was all he said. The way he looked, there was no trace of compassion in the round red-pinpricks of his eyes. He held an air of indifference that caused her heart to grow lighter with sick relief. He was not attached to her yet. He did not care.

_She was not hurting him._

Sure, he had cried with her just some minutes ago. Sure, his voice had broken as he had tried to comfort her but... that had probably been just an act, right? He probably had just gotten lost when sneaking out or something.

Her mind was still hazy enough to believe such stupid thoughts. She knew that she would be okay - this had happened many times before - but the odd state of her mind would remain for at least a few hours. All she could do was go to bed and pray that Edgy would not wake to her corpse staring at him with glassy eyes. She refused to go to the hospital: after all, they could not do much. If she had to die...then she would. She may have feared passing, but she knew that it was not something she could avoid. Dancing around death just made its approach seem even more intimidating. It wasn't as if she could avoid it fully.

If only...

Edgy waited for her to go to sleep. His soul hurt as he snuck into her room on shaky legs, quite glad that he could teleport, even if only short distances. Worry burnt in his gaze as he curled up on her chest, making sure that she did not even stir at him climbing up her. He was going to guard her in her sleep. After all, if he did just that, if he protected her... then maybe she would be much better in the morning.

The bitty huffed to himself as he realized just how soft he had grown over a puny human that he had not even bonded with. Heck, all she had done for him was...

"Tch, nothing." The way he uttered those words was low and filled with his own disbelief. Edgy knew that she had done it all for him and Curly. She had taken the two of them back so they would not suffer. Was it clear that she did, on the other hand?

Of course it was. She was... she was a wreck. And he did not like it one bit. At first her tears had been a little funny: after all when she broke down in front of him when he and his companion had just arrived, he had not known the reason for her sadness. But now, it was bothering him. He wanted to be the one that would tell her that everything would be alright, that she was safe... with him.

And maybe Curly, too. Little spoilt brat could be annoying, but... he still had been adopted along with Edgy. In an odd way the two of them were practically _brothers_. While it was often that the skeleton-bitty wished that water elemental did not exist, he still had to admit that their weird _family_ would have been incomplete without him.

Then again, what family was he thinking about? The next day, he would be torn from it again, too. Merely because it - well, she, the human that made up one-third of the whole family and half of the one that was, at the moment, at the same time - thought that it was the best. Edgy knew it was not but he had no idea how he could convince her to change her mind.

She was just so stubborn. He liked how she seemed to have an opinion on so many things but... he hated how once she decided on something, there was _no way_ one could change her opinion on it. When he had asked her if she would take him back - honestly expecting her to say no, because she _had opened up to him_ about everything, she had just... asked if his request was completely normal. He knew that he could have asked to stay, too but that, she would have refused... If only there was another way...

"Why are you being so difficult?" the skeleton muttered as he slowly climbed up to her neck, pressing his head against the soft skin. It was warm but not burning and he could vaguely feel her pulse. It was strong, steady. He liked the rhythm, it was nearly enough to lull him into sleep. But just as he was about to drift off, Edgy shook his head.

No. He was going to stay up and protect her through the night.

Every time her breath hitched, every single moment she let out sounds that did not seem pleased or she just _stirred_ , he jumped, ready to do _anything_ to help her. But he was not needed: she would always calm down and continue to sleep deeply.

She was alright.

Morning found the uncanny pair like that with Edgy now gazing at the star-littered ceiling, in awe. It was just so... so lifelike. It was almost like a photograph and he loved it. At times, he still turned to look at the human to make sure that she was alright, but the way her chest rose and fell under him reassured him more or less. He had not slept a blink, but he was not tired. Usually, he would have taken the chance to sleep in, but...

The good thing about not sleeping was that now Edgy knew what to do. He had the outlines of his plan before, but now, he just... _knew_ it all. Yes, it was a little risky but... who did not like a little risk at times?

It was around noon by the time she took him back. She bundled up even though it wasn't too cold, wearing a scarf and a silly hat with cat ears. It was a deep red and the ears were black: Edgy could not help but appreciate the colour scheme quite a bit.

"I think we should tell Curly," he told her just as she was about to enter the shop. She was breathless and weak, something that bothered him. His soul was already buzzing with worry. But... every time he tried to tell her to take it easy, to just sit down and rest, she would shake her head and say that she was already used to this.

Apparently, suffering like that had been her life for...years by then. Just how cruel the world could be? And why was it like that with such... good humans, too? Edgy could understand serial killers getting killed but...not her.

While she did stupid things _very_ frequently, and she was definitely a little dumb, she meant well. Always. Or so far, she had never had rotten intentions towards him. As selfish it sounded: that was what mattered to Edgy. As long as his human did not hurt him - on purpose, that is - he was alright with her doing what she wanted...

Expect for one thing.

"Do you think he would... he would understand?" her voice shook and she stared down at the bitty in her hands with such sorrow that he nearly flinched. He could _feel_ sadness flare up in his own magic and it was everything but pleasant. And yet he nodded, taking a deep - albeit quite unneeded - breathe.

"He deserves to know. When you left us here... he was really sad. I could handle it, but not him. So... I think he has a right to know." The skeleton shot the human a small, weak grin as she finally opened the door and slipped in, only to be swarmed by the workers.

Just perfect. He felt a little guilty for having his human in the centre of the not so glad crowd (she _had_ forgotten to phone in that she had found him, so maybe she was the one to blame...or maybe not, Edgy did not really care about that at the moment), but he needed to slip away from her, if just for a moment.

He needed to have a serious talk with Curly before she would get there. Or well, something along those lines. He already knew that the little elemental would start bawling his eyes out the moment Edgy would start the story - or what he knew from it. Then again, that was to be expected...

After all, even Edgy had shed a tear...or two.

Or maybe a hundred more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew.  
> I decided not to write much on the explaining scene (yet, it will be added later) because to be completely honest if I need to write that part now I will break down AND none of us wants that... PLUS this reach 100 kudos, so there's that. A celebratory chapter can't be sad...
> 
> well, that sad. Anyway, sorry for the sudden infrequent updates, I started this chapter like..two days ago but I sota have exams right now and tbh I'm so dead I can barely sit in front of the PC :D Good news is that tomorrow is my last exam....for this week. I have 3 more next week, then 2 more (but I don't know when one of them will be, so yay -.-") uh..yea I hope I'll pass all of them first try xD I'll stop ranting now :D As always, all suggestions (for Bitties and more) are welcome. I have a loooad of ideas on what to do with this, but it's always good to see what others want :D (plus it helps with making the fic longer which is good when you don't wanna kill Reader off..yet :D) so yea.   
> That's all now, byeee <3


	8. Edgy?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Edgy makes a decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: crappy and short chapter  
> good news:  
> FLUFF IS COMING (after this :D) so... prepare your teeth cause the fluff's gonna rot it
> 
>  
> 
> wat.  
> <3

Curly whimpered as he clutched a tiny teddy-bear he had in his habitat, his little shoulders shaking. He could not believe that Edgy had told him... or well, he did not want to believe it. And well, the little skeleton was known for his cruel pranks. Maybe he was fooling around this time, too.

"You are so silly," the tiny water-elemental whispered finally, a broken laugh escaping him."I almost...I almost thought that you were saying _the_ truth." a hiccup left him and he shot a watery glare to the skeleton, flickers of triumph over figuring out the _trick_ fading the moment he noticed just how... Edgy did not look smug at all... or happy... He looked _sad_. There was no other word to describe the bitty's expression. He stared ahead, the pin-pricks of his eyes barely there."Edgy? This is the part where you start laughing about how stupid I am that I fell for you joke..and that she just doesn't want us and..."

"He was telling the truth." it was another bitty that spoke up, voice barely louder than the gentle crackling of fire. He must have been hiding somewhere in the back as only then did the two others notice him. In any other case, Edgy would have snarled at him for interrupting their conversation, but for once, he was glad that someone was there to _help_ him out. After all, there were no other words that managed to escape him: his throat felt tight and it was too painful to just even think of repeating when he had just told his companion. It _hurt_.

"Huh?" Curly tilted his head to the side as he looked at the other bitty - fire from head to toe, flames burning low and with sorrow . How would he know, anyway?

"She... she's been coming here for a while. She designs us clothes and things like that. We..I... I really liked her designs, so I asked if I could go home with her.." here, the bitty's flames seemed to burn just a little brighter, as if embarrassment had fuelled them - she told me that she... she wished I could. She didn't come for a while after that and I thought it was because of me, but then..."

"Oh, there you are!" the almost too happy voice of _his_ human made Edgy look up, the scowl that had marred his features momentarily - the fire bitty probably knew something even he did not, and that bothered him to the soul - disappearing within moments."Leaving me all alone like that? So mean of you." while her tone was playful, there was something awfully sorrowful about the way she worded her sentences. The tiny skeleton gulped and stared up at her before huffing and walking to the edge of the habitat slowly. He could see Curly do the same, but he did not care.

"Told Curly about...you." he said with a sigh."So..."

"Oh. I see. Well, I do hope that you two..understand..then." she turned to leave just like that. But before she could have taken a step, there was suddenly something on her shoulder, something that had bony hands that circled her neck just perfectly."E..edgy?"

The small skeleton did not budge. And to himself, he swore silently, that if he needed to, he would cling to her like that until the end of eternity...


	9. Home

Curly was not known for being brave of brash. If anything, he was the opposite: timid, always thinking three times before acting. It was in his nature to be wary of his surroundings, albeit not horribly so. It was not that he never did what his soul pleaded him to - saying that would have been a blatant lie. But it was often that he hesitated too long when he had to make decisions. He was definitely a bitty that would, frequently overthink _everything_.

But the moment he saw Edgy clutching _her_ neck, all signs of his usual attitude flew out the window. Curly flung himself in the air with a tiny yelp and latched onto the human's clothes the moment he could, his small blue hands sinking into the soft fabric by ease.

"Hey!" he heard the shocked exclamation and for a moment, he flinched, eyes darting up to see if the girl was angry at him. After all, he _had_ ran at her full speed. And she was sick.. What if Curly was hurting her?  It was not long until he started sniffing, still clutching her as if she would disappear if he did not. She _had_ left once already, after all."Hey, Curly, you're gonna fall!"

The softest of hands enveloped the small bitty and before he knew it, she brought him to her chest, tears of relief and something else, something so much darker glistening in her eyes."Please...please don't leave us here again. We can help with anything you want!"

Edgy scoffed softly at that, muttering something about how, for sure, he had not agreed to that. And yet, he was still clutching her neck as tight as he could without actually harming her, his bony little phalanges pressing into the paper-thin skin.

"So... we are going home now, right?" It was the small skeleton who spoke up, his voice a little raspy. Curly could not help but giggle when his companion buried his face in the human's neck. squeezing it a little tighter."Curly said he can help. And I'm sure G would like a home, too."

It was not like him to _wish_ to share his human. Edgy wanted nothing more than to have her all for himself. But he also was not fond of the idea of having to actually do something around the house. Or at least that's what he told himself, crimson blush rising on his cheeks. In reality... he was not sure if he could handle going home completely alone with her...

What if something happened?

"I do wish I could tag along, but..." G's soft voice caused all three of them to look at him. He seemed a little flustered, fiddling with his hands. They kept changing colours, fading from orange to yellow, then bursting into vibrant reds. It was fascination sight."But another human has already claimed me. He will be picking me up in three days.."

Curly did not like the way G seemed so genuinely _upset_ about being adopted. Surely, it was not by the one that he initially wanted to go home with, but it was still a _human_. Probably all to himself. Just how amazing that was going to be? The little water elemental felt his soul swell with worry.

"It's going to be so nice for you still, then!" he said softly, peeking down at the other from the human's palm, having sat down on it in the meantime. He little legs dangled down and his eyes crinkled with curiosity as he watched G nod a little.

"I am, it will just be quite hard to leave this all behind," the fire-bitty spoke up quietly, raising a hand in a small wave."Have a safe journey back home, I will go and have some food now..."

"Something is off with him.." Curly whispered as he made the courageous act of climbing up the human's shirt, managing to wrap around her neck much like Edgy. At that, the skeleton bitty snarled loudly, his fangs glimmering in the bright light of the lamps.

"I suppose I do not have much of a decision to make here," Curly giggled when the human beamed down at him, her lips curling into the smiles he had ever seen. Suddenly, he did not look so... sick. She seemed like a healthy person wanting to adopt a pair of bitties. She was practically glowing.

"You never had," Edgy sniggered, but the way he gazed back at her with so much love gave his words a completely new meaning. It caused Curly to giggle softly once more and nuzzle into the girl's neck gently, humming softly.

It was not long until the three of them were on the way once more..

But this time, they were going home.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still accepting ideas on what you think those two troublemakers should do :P I'll also try to set up a tumblr just for this (for fun, really, I wanna write drabbles that I may not post here because #lazy so yea :D but it'll take time because exams are eating me. 
> 
> i mustard taste good :D


	10. Paint and?

"So..." silence fell after the soft word was uttered, the human standing in the middle of their home almost helplessly. Edgy was sitting on her shoulder, contently leaning against her neck. Curly was peeking out of the pocket on her jacket, looking around curiously as if this was the first time he had seen it all. It was quite clear that he did not like how bare everything was, but he said nothing. The skeleton sniggered when his companion opted to climb up the human's other shoulder, pressing against her as well.

"So what?" the water elemental tilted his head to the side, a small giggle escaping him when the girl's cheeks flushed a deep red and she shrugged ever so slightly, her lips pulling into a small grin."I like your smile!"

"Aw, how cute you are!" Flustered as she was, she hardly noticed Edgy scampering away from her. He wasn't quite happy with that fact: after all, she _should_ have sensed that he was gone. And she did not even look the way he went, too caught up in chatting softly with Curly.

Edgy scoffed, his eyes flashing dangerously as he headed to _his_ human's room as quickly as he could. He could have broken havoc in the living room, but it would have been quite hard. After all, _everything_ was just so _naked_. There were barely any things for him to break.

The next half an hour found him finding all her papers, void of any doodles or drawing - he did not want to ruin the ones she had drawn on, he was not _that_ mean... And well, even in his rage he had to admit that they were really good, especially the sketches she had made of him in brand new clothes. The ones of Curly though...

Despite his earlier thoughts, Edgy may or may not have ended up accidentally choosing some of the papers that had Curly on them. There were only a few and it was obvious that some were older: they had been on the bottom of her stack of papers. But they were perfect for what he wanted to do...

Along with the empty sheets of paper.

The tiny skeleton sniggered to himself as he worked quickly, pushing a large - well, compared to him - pot of paint to the middle of the desk. Before he knew it, all of the once pure papers had black drawings on them, crude and choppy. He had even wrote a few curse words on one or two, although later he wondered if that was a bit too much. Still, after they dried - quite quickly, luckily for him - he spread them on the floor and the desk, careful of not even going near the beautiful paintings on the walls. If there was one thing he did not want to ruin...

Proud with his masterpieces, Edgy snickered to himself before walking outside to find the human and Curly. He decided not to warn them of the little surprise he had left: that would be the best way to earn the ~~attention~~ effect he ~~craved~~ wanted so much. The only issue was that well, he had forgotten about cleaning up. His clothes and hands all were covered in a thick coat of black paint. Of course, he only noticed that when Curly looked at him suspiciously from the spot on the human's shoulder as she worked on cooking something for the three of them, humming to herself.

"Mama, Edgy got into trouble!" The water bitty squeaked at the top of his lungs. For a moment, everything fell silent: the girl stopped chopping the vegetables and raised a hand to grab Curly gently. Edgy watched, wary. If there was something he would have never dared doing after being abandoned by her once already... was this. Yes, he trusted her. Yes, he...his soul sang when she was near and well... But...

"Did he?" The way she asked, voice filled with glee and something else made the little skeleton relax almost immediately. He laughed as Curly sputtered and rambled quietly, finding it difficult to find the right words. Just how awkward the water bitty could be."And what did you do, Edgy?" she directed her attention to the skeleton bitty now, gasping as she saw just how he was covered in paint from head to toe.

Edgy expected her to start yelling or at least show anger but...

She started laughing. _Hard_. Her frail form shook with each loud snigger that left her and it was not long until the first of many soft snorts escaped her. The sight would have been hilarious to Edgy, had she not been laughing at him. Before long, a crimson blush joined the ink-like spots on his cheekbones and he let out a yelp when she bent down to grab him.

"Aw, are you a little artist?" she cooed, kissing the top of his head gently. The skeleton struggled to get out of her grasp, letting out clear huffs and puffs of displeasure. And yet she did not let him, brining him to her chest before placing him on the counter."Did you go explore, Edgy?"

"Yes Edgy, did you go and explore the house?" Curly parroted without missing a beat, the slightest sign of grumpiness in his voice. It was clear that he had wanted the skeleton to get into real trouble.

"What a brat," Edgy muttered lowly to himself, low enough that the human did not seem to understand what he had said."Yes, I was bored so I played with your stuff. Hope you don't mind." He tried to shrug a little, glad that _his_ human was now looking at him and not Curly, obviously very curious of what had happened.

"I don't mind as long as you did not make a _big_ mess." she chuckled and gently patted his head. He huffed a little, cheekbones still aflame. It was odd that she was not angry... "Now, let's check the mess you made and then... we'll eat. I don't know about you two, but I'm starving!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idea for this chapter was given by SilverDragonMS :3 it was too cute for me to not do it so :D (the rest is coming soon, I'm just supposed to be studying so I couldn't add that now xD Edgy's gonna see where his art ends up for sure :PPP   
> Please do comment / give a kudos or whatever <3 I love ya'll   
> (and well, we are nearing 200 kudos slowyyly which is awesome so yea :D comments are getting to it, too (well, not 200 but still :D) it's success for me on ao3 :P


	11. Can't sleep tonight?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *tosses you all some tissues*  
> i..almost needed them  
> T.T

Curly's high-pitched giggles could be heard bouncing off the walls as he stand beside Edgy, hands on his hips. It was clear that the little brat was enjoying himself almost comically too much, even going as far as wiping faux tears from his face.

The human was hanging the 'pictures' Edgy had created on the walls of the living room. She _had_ scolded him for ruining some of her designs, but other than that, she had seemed almost happy with him. While he was glad that he was not getting punished for his silly deeds. the little bitty had wanted a different reaction from him. She had just... patted his head, told him that he was actually pretty good and... went on with what she was doing.

And Curly just laughed, laughed and laughed. Once he had gone breathless, the water-elemental plopped down on the ground and continued to giggle like that, his hands covering most of his face. The human ended up joining in with her own melody of quiet chuckles and it was only Edgy who stood there, pretty much ignored by the pair. He was not happy in the least...

But by the time night came, he had completely forgotten. He was already in his nightwear - a set he had gotten for free from the _store_ , perched on the nightstand in the human's room.

"Oh, Edgy!" she exclaimed, just as she stepped on the plush carpet, a grin on her face."Can't sleep, can you?" she asked, a grin filled with mischief playing on her lips. The bitty shook his head, cheekbones burning the brightest red. No. He was there for... for another reason.

Yes.

He was there for..

"I want a pillow!" he said finally after a minute or so of silence. You gave Curly one, but not me."

Both of them knew well that he was not telling the truth. After all, she had given both of her bitties tiny pillows and blankets to sleep with just ten minutes ago. They had decided that for the time being, they would sleep on the couch on makeshift little beds made of fluffy materials and a box she had. The reason for that had been simple: she was scared that she would roll on them in her sleep. Until she would be sure that she would not, she did not want to risk it.

Waking to a bed filled with dust would have crushed her and they all knew it. The one time Edgy had 'slept' with her, they had decided would not be repeated this time..

And yet, he was there, the red lights of his eyes _pleading_ her despite what he was saying.

"Oh yeah, now I remember." she forced herself to sound nonchalant, but it was almost too hard not to laugh at the silly situation. Edgy could have come up with any other excuse... just how cute could he got?

Just as the skeleton-bitty was about to say something else, the door moved ahead just a little and a soft blue glow entered their visions."Mama, can I sleep with you?" Curly sniffed, his voice cracking."I..I had a bad dream and..."

There was nothing more to be said. Despite the worries of crushing them, she beamed at the bitties before reaching out towards them. Edgy was the first to act, jumping on her arm and lightly biting down with a huff before crawling up further to her neck. He nestled himself there, hiding under her soft hair. He was planning to sleep this time. As long as he could feel her blood rushing under the paper-like skin, he knew that she was alright.

Curly was a little more timid this time, too, ending up climbing up the hand stretched towards him slowly. A huff escaped the water-bitty: he had wanted to sleep near her neck. At least, however, he was still allowed to be there, with her.

It took him an entire minute to decide that her hair was a perfect nest for him. Carefully - he did not want to tug at the soft, yet delicate _fur_ that covered the human, after all, it was too pretty to be torn from her - he crawled in her hair and curled up. He had dragged his tiny blanket along and ended up covering himself with that, letting out a hum of contentment.

But even then... none of the trio could sleep. Long minutes passed, and they had fallen in silence some time ago. Even the lamp's light had been turned off and yet...

Edgy kept on fidgeting a little, trying to position himself more comfortably. His bony phalanges dug into soft flesh and he wasn't sure if he wanted to do that. Not when his human was so..frail. But... what else could he do? She always lay on her back - from what he had seen before, that is - so it wasn't like he could...

He ended up giggling to himself quietly, voice low and filled with sleepiness as he teleported right on her chest, getting comfortable right where her heart was. She let out a chuckle and a hand came to pat his head gently.

Edgy wondered how long he would be able to listen to her heart beat like that. Suddenly, he felt _wrong. Heavy_. Like.. like the fact that they did not have much time...

Curly was the one to break the silence however, his voice weak and shaky.

"Mama, tell us a story, please.." he pleaded, a sniff escaping him."I can't sleep."

"Okay sweetheart..." was the reply, soft but very. very awake."Neither can I."


	12. Mint'n Oranges

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Edgy is still a little bastard, and tears are hard to stop.

"Once upon a time," her voice was soft as she spoke, a small smile playing on her lips as Curly let out a soft, almost purr-like snore already. The way he had fallen asleep just a minute after he had said he could not was adorable in an odd way. Edgy however, was wide awake still, his cheekbones dusted a bright red as he gazed up at her, eye-lights expressive as ever.

"Go on," he muttered, voice low and gruff as he huffed, trying to reposition himself." Curly's gonna wake up if you don't."

The silly excuse made the both of them chuckle softly as the same time and with a gentle yet shaking hand she grasped him a little closer, kissing the top of his skull."Once upon a time, there was a princess. She lived far, far away from most people, usually guarded by the best men of her father.."

Edgy let out a content hum, mirroring the bitty in her soft hair. He felt happy that he was there with her like that, listening to her sweet voice.. Within minutes, he was asleep as well, his hands still clutching her neck as if it was her only lifeline...

She was the last to be succumbed by the peaceful darkness, her lips twitching into a serene smile.

It was well into the day when she awoke. The weight from her neck and her hair was long gone: had she just dreamt it all? Was she alone once more? Tears came before she truly realized, vision blurring, throat burning already. A groan escaped paled lips and she sat up, rubbing at her eyes furiously. She was alone, no one would see her and yet...

"Mama?" the sweetest, softest voice tore her from her maddening thoughts. Curly stood in the doorway, holding a tiny plate of what seemed like burnt pancakes with fruits on top. He was still in sleepwear,  small blanket wrapped around his shoulders like a funny cape.

"Mama, why are you crying?" he rushed to her, dropping the plate to the ground without really thinking. It took him less than twenty seconds to be on her lap, trying to reach for her face, tiny hands fumbling to dry her tears. At that moment, he wished he had such an ability: he could only wipe them away but..new ones kept coming.

 Would they ever stop? Why was his mama crying anyway? Had he done something? Or was it Edgy? It was quite possible, but the small elemental did not want to think so. Even his skeletal companion was behaving well - compared to the other Edgies he had seen in the store at least. He may have made a mess once or twice but he was not mean or loud.. Curly could not recall being like that either but then... What had they done?

"Mama? Did we do something bad?" his voice quivered, left hand wiping another tear away. His only answer was a weak shake of the human's head and a false smile playing on colourless lips."Mama?"

"I.. had a bad dream." the way she spoke was so soft as if she was afraid of waking someone still in the house. She looked around with almost wild eyes, teeth biting down on her lower lip without a second thought."Where's Edgy?" she asked, taking a deep breath.

She had to calm down. Whether he was real or not, Curly was there, worry shining in his gaze. His small hands were still flat against her flushed cheeks as he leant closer, giving her face an almost awkward but comforting hug before he spoke.

"He's making you something to drink. We wanted to surprise you.." Was she just seeing things or did the little water-bitty blush at that. He pulled away, staring at his feet in a bashful manner. How could he be so adorable? "I made your pancakes." he added, and for a moment, it was clear that he took pride in his clumsy creation.

She could not help but chuckle softly, finally reaching for the small plate on the floor."Let's go get Edgy and eat together, okay?" she asked, voice cracking.

Curly flinched but nodded. He said nothing as he pulled himself up to settle on her shoulder, curling around her neck like a cat would. He nuzzled her soft skin with a content sigh.

Oh, just how lucky she was to have him..

It did not take them long to fetch Edgy and the glass of orange juice he had poured, grinning to himself with clear pride.  They had ended up on the couch, the bitties nestled into the human's side as some silly cartoon played on the TV. None of them, however, paid much attention to that. Edgy was staring at Curly with a crippling intensity as the small bitty took the fist  his orange juice. That, too, had been poured by the small skeleton.

Just as she was about to ask her little companions about how they had slept, Curly let out a tiny sound of disgust, spitting out the small sip of juice he had been drinking.

"Ew! Mama, Edgy put something in my juice!" His voice was high-pitched as he complained, shooting daggers at the other bitty. How could he do something so nasty? The weird, sour taste just did not disappear no matter how many times the poor little thing stuck his tongue out.

With a sigh - and a barely held-in giggle - said _mama_ turned to Edgy. "Just what exactly did you do, you little troublemaker?" she asked, poking his skull. The skeleton let out a huff but grinned, a glint akin to mischief in his eyes.

"Toothpaste." was his simple answer before he took a swig from his own tiny glass. He looked incredibly smug... But it was clear that he had not wanted to actually hurt Curly. he could have done so many meaner things... His prank had been, if anything, light. Surely, the taste of orange juice and toothpaste combining was worse than many things but.. it still was not anything too serious. Quite possibly, he had been a little bored as he prepared for breakfast.

For that, she could not blame him.

But still... he deserved some kind of punishment for being so mean to his fellow bitty..

And she already knew what it would be.

_(despite how cheerful her morning turned out to be, sorrow blended into her reality as the minutes passed. Even if it was real at the moment... it could disappear anytime.)_

_The clock struck eleven._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long wait guys :D hope it was worth it tbh :P


	13. The What Ifs

Edgy watched her as she sketched, perched on her shoulder with his skeletal fingers clutching onto her hair gently. She seemed to be focused fully, her tongue sticking out just slightly as her pencil barely grazed the surface of the paper. The lines she traced were delicate and pale, almost as if they were not even there. Was she not confident in how she was drawing them? Or was there another reason for her weird technique?

"you're being weird," he said finally, but there was no menace in his words as he scrambled to slide down her shoulders. Inwardly, he winced as the hard bones poked out through her skin: she was so soft, but so thin. He wondered if it was because of how ill he was. Would she be better if she gained weight? Did that not help humans?

"I'm just fooling around," her voice was airy as she spoke before turning to peck his skull once more. Fondly, she petted Curly who lay on her lap, partially covered by her sketchpad. He did not seem to mind it however, soft snores escaping the bitty as he slept. Probably, his night had ended up as rough as her morning had been.

She wished he would have woken her up so she could have helped.

"you're bored." Edgy decided, turning his attention to the TV for a while. He badly wanted to suggest going out: from what he could see the weather was nice and there were no clouds on the sky. Perfect for a stroll. But..would she be okay with it? What if she would get sick? He more or less understood the majority of what was wrong with her, but he was not sure if air could kill her, too. Could it? But then... had she risked her life with taking him and Curly to the store... and bringing them back, too? What if she would die because of that?

Monsters unlike him, their intentions rotten crept into his mind but he said nothing. He did not want to worry her, not when he may have harmed her without truly wanting to... What if..

"Edgy, look!" her cheerful exclamation tore him out of the clutches of his darkening thoughts. The bitty quickly looked towards her, the lights of his eyesockets brightening. She had drawn him in the short time he had spaced out... He was wearing a brand new outfit of some jeans and some kind of a leather-esque jacket with a skull-like pendant hanging from his neck. He looked...good?

"You were just fooling around huh?" he grumbled as he stared at the drawing, eyelights inching up, then down. He had seen her sketches of him before but by far, this was the best one. Even if it had not been, however, he probably would have told her it was: the hope that lingered in her gaze was immense. For her, he would have lied."This is your best drawing. Ever."

"It's not that good, but..." she chuckled softly and pecked his skull softly, soft lips brushing against cool bone. They had been cold and he did not like it. Was she freezing? He was not really the best at judging the temperature - he could feel it but it did not matter to him - but now that he thought about it, she was trembling a little.

"are you cold?" he asked without waiting for her to open her mouth again despite how obvious it had been that she would say something else. To that, she shook her head with a quiet chuckle, drawing him a little closer.

"Not really. It's a bit chilly inside but it's nothing some tea and blankets can't fix." She chuckled softly and petted his head once more before carefully standing up, managing to lay both of her small companions against her chest."You want some?"

"nah. i just want some mustard."

It did not take long until - with a now half-awake Curly sipping from a tiny cup - they were seated on the couch once more. This time, she was wrapped into a thick blanket, only her hands and face poking out from under it. Edgy was sitting on her head, toying with some stray shorter hairs she had. He was quite content like that, listening to her talk with the other bitty softly, her voice a little raspy. Maybe she was catching a cold. Then again, it probably was normal. Well, normal for her...

The skeleton bitty had already finished his mustard by that time, the cup he had laying on the floor a few feet from them. He had tossed it there with a frown once he had realized that it was empty.. but he had calmed quickly at the promise of more for dinner.

"Mama, it's so sunny outside. Let's take a walk!" It was Curly who chirped those words quietly, a wide grin on his face."Maybe the sun will warm you up more than this blanket, too!"he added happily as he fumbled to stand up so he could kiss her cheek."Please?"

"Sure sweetie," it took her long minutes to actually reply. For the past few minutes, she had just stared ahead, completely unaware of the bitty actually talking to her. She did not even know what she had agreed to. She was just feeling a little sluggish that day, that was all. The odd morning had taken its toll on her and now, all she wanted was to sleep. Sure, she had sketched a bit - she _had_ been bored just like Edgy had oh-so-smartly remarked her - but... that was all she could accomplish that day. Maybe make dinner, too, for her little companions..

Then again, ordering pizza seemed like a better decision at that point.

"Mama, are you even listening?" Curly huffed out, patting her cool cheeks with his small hands."We need to get ready if we wanna go out! Right, Edgy?"

Edgy said nothing as he watched their human nod finally. His previous thoughts were storming in his little bony skull once more. What if this could hurt her? What if...?

 


	14. Mistakes once more

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which someone makes a fatal mistake.
> 
> The clock strikes again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO.SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE. I HAVE NO.LAPTOP TO.WORK ON AND I AM IN SCOTLAND CURRENTLY (my laptop died). I have no idea how it will be fixed so I tried to write on phone... hope.it isn't too bad.

The sun shone bright but chilly winds caressed Curly as he clung to his mama's neck, bright eyes filled with a childlike glee. It was not often that he got to enjoy the outside world and thus, he was quite overjoyed to see it in all its beauty. Deep in his soul he knew just how important this short trip was: his owner, his human was risking so much with stepping out of the safety of her home. Already he knew: she would do it for him or Edgy anytime. He could feel the love she felt: so pure, so true. She was ready to give them anything they could want and more. 

The small elemental let out a content huff, digging his little face in the human's cold neck. She was wearing layers and layers of clothes and yet she seemed to be on the brink of freezing, skin pale, lips a sickly purple. She quivered from time to time, but her voice was as cheerful as ever as she talked to her small companions. Pretending that nothing was wrong... 

Curly opened his mouth, his little fingers clenching into a fist: this was his fault. He had done this to the single human being that loved him most. He wanted to fix it so badly... But how could he?

Edgy had been giving him glares from the moment they had left, sprawled out on the frail woman's hair. His grip on the delicate strands seemes so tender, so gentle. Quite unlike him. But the devotion, the worry in his gaze was quite new to the elemental as well. Surely, he knew that the skeleton cared for their mama but was still quite unusual to see him act like this. So gentle and protective. 

"Let's just go home!" It was the skeleton that spoke up first, the low hum of his voice barely noticable over the wind. It was starting to pick up, rattling the trees, ruffling soft hair. His sentence had been simple yet filled with so much meaning. It was no request, no suggestion: it was a command. 

"Are you cold?" The human asked with worry filling hwr home. The bitties both waited as with shaky fingers she tugged off her thick scarf, her aim as clear as the vibrant blue sky. "You can bundle up if you want to..."

No other words could be uttered as the bitty scoffed, his distaste quite audible. He pushed the small hand trying to wrap him in the piece of clothe away, the red lights of his eyesockets glinting.

"I'm not but I am bored. So let's go home!" It was again a demand, a bit louder this time. Curly nodded as well, nuzzling the human's neck once more.

"It would be nice to rest a little now," he whispered so softly the others could barely hear him. And yet, the moment his words had been uttered the woman nodded, worry flashing in her gentle gaze.

"It has been a while since we left home hasn't it?" The question was more to himself than her little friends as she turned around, knees buckling for just a moment. It was Edgy that gasped first, hands stretching towards the ground as if that would help. 

And yet within moments the human straightened her back, the shaking of her legs barely visible. Cold sweat trickled down her forehead and yet she smiled as if nothing had happened. 

Edgy stayed silent as his strong human walked home, stopping for minutes at times. He had slipped from her hair to travel on her shoulder, grasping her in a nearly frantic manner. 

"We should just take a taxi or something. I am tired." He proposed, panic causing his sentence to leave as a near jumbled mess. His fears seemed to have been proven true: this little walk had not been good for her. No matter how many times she said it was nice. That she needed it.

He just wanted to be home so badly already... 

Crimson magic pulsed around his small body and before he knew it, he felt as if he was falling. Down an endless void, darker than black. Empty.

He had used his magic in such a way before so many times and yet this once it had been different. It felt too long, almost wrong in a way. Like he was doing something that he should not have even thought of. 

When he finally landed, he was panting hard. Bony fingers curled: he still had a death grip on something. Something soft. Familiar. A scent finally entered his senses. It was sweet like chocolate but salty like the sea... or tears. He was warm, too warm to be outside. A voice he knew too well kept whispering frantically but he could not understand it. He was not tired and yet he felt as if the universe had fallen onto his shoulders. Suddenly he was heavy, too heavy.

It took him minutes to ground himself and recognize the world once more. He was home...

They were home. 

His human lay on the floor, eyes wide, lips moving in an odd way. Twitching. She was not talking: no sounds seemed to be escaping her. 

It took the skeleton moments to realize that she was gasping for air.


	15. His human- PREVIEW

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Preview of the next chapter. Prepare your tissues.

Edgy felt like his entire world was slipping away. Vision still a little hazy he planted his small hands on his human's throat as if that would help. It did not. He watched as her struggles slowed, the fingers that clawed at her neck falling by her side.

Her body still jerked upwards slightly and her lips never stopped moving but it seemed as if she was fighting a battle she could not win. Was this really her end? It was his fault... a little voice laughed in the back of the skeleton's mind, gleeful at the turn of events.  It did not belong to someone he had heard before and yet it was so, so familiar.

Madness begun to creep into his mind like a demon, his head twitching, sockets filling with a vibrant crimson light. His human was dying...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I got my hand on a laptop. It's super old and not working yet (need an adapter for the plug LOL) but as I am about to be back to writing I decided to type down some previews for my fics. None are long or anything but im alive so...yeah  
> Please do not hesitate to comment or even give me ideas. Helps me write more and I love knowing what people think.  
> Be fully back soon ♡


	16. Midnight and after

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When everything else fails, you pray.

Edgy felt like his entire world was slipping away. Vision still a little hazy he planted his small hands on his human's throat as if that would help. It did not. He watched as her struggles slowed, the fingers that clawed at her neck falling by her side.

Her body still jerked upwards slightly and her lips never stopped moving but it seemed as if she was fighting a battle she could not win. Was this really her end? It was his fault... a little voice laughed in the back of the skeleton's mind, gleeful at the turn of events.  It did not belong to someone he had heard before and yet it was so, so familiar.

Madness begun to creep into his mind like a demon, his head twitching, sockets filling with a vibrant crimson light. His human was dying...

After that things passed in a complete blur. Edgy could recall calling calling, praying for anyone to help even though he was sure it was in vain. It wasn't as if he hadn't expected it but it was so soon! The way she lay there, smiling through her pain showed that she accepted it but..

He didn't want to!

How could she be so cruel? How could she think that leaving like this was fair?

"I HATE YOU!" he whispered without thinking but she didn't seem to understand. He did despise her at that one moment when his feelings got the best of him. He loathed her with every piece of his being and yet part of him was ready to die with her...

But could he really? Could he really leave the others alone? Was he selfish enough to end his own suffering just to cause more pain in others?

"You are so cruel..." he whispered as he watched people swarm around her, trying to help. He could see her eyes close but her lips were moving and he was there to listen to her last words.  
"Don't give up." she said...

And then she was gone.  
Gone were the smiles and chuckles the teasing and cuddles. She was just...Not there anymore.

Curly didn't understand for a long time. Maybe even days passed by the time he wrapped his innocent mind around the fact that the black car that had come instead of the ambulance wasn't just a fancy vehicle to help his Mama. Then again maybe he was just playing stupid: ignorance was bliss for sure. 

Edgy was the one taking care of everything. It was as bizarre as it sounded, if not more. The bitty had the responsibility of arranging her funeral, calling up people that she may have known, posting in the paper that she had passed away. It was really weird to see such a small soul like him handle it all and not break. But of course that was not the truth. 

He was angry. But he was also sad and lost. And it was very strange to feel so many things at once. He regretted everything and he was praying for the clock to go back, for time to stop and for everything to disappear. But he knew very well that wasn't how things worked. No matter how much magic his small form held, he knew that it would  never be able to work against nature.

There were laws that even he had to follow as stupid and useless they were. No one could stop death from happening. It just wasn't something that could be done. 

He was told that he shouldn't cry, he should celebrate her life. He was told that flowers wilt but memories don't. The clothes she had made, the drawings: They would never just disappear.

He felt responsible for that. He knew that despite how distant she was, she was adored by so many. For the shine of her soul that was ever present in her eyes as well... 

He knew that she would be proud of him. He knew because she always had him. A frail being like her had so much love in her...And yet it did not help.

Edgy wasn't really sure what to do. After she died,  he was 'free'. He thought a lot about going away. Could he just go back to the centre? Could he and Curly just find a new place? But would he ever have a new home? A home wasn't just a place that he could find. A home was a person.

Curly was hopeful. He said that he wished every night that she was in peace and that she would once be brought back on Earth. 

 Because he believed in those insane things. As stupid and idiotic as it seemed he was so   
sure that she would once meet them again.. .

But what if it was him that was right? Nothing ever was impossible. Edgy knew because before, he had thought that no one could be like her. And yet there she had been, so selfless and sweet.

So he prayed and believed and thought that maybe he would see her again.

And he found a new reason to last until that. 

Bitties like him were told to be mean and rude to all but a select few people. But somehow, he managed to turn that around. Granted he was still a little rough on the edges - but he changed and he knew it.

He somehow managed to grasp onto a little hope to survive: and that was enough for him to find his new reason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...  
>  okay so there will be an epilogue.  
> AND I know that I was a few months late.  
> Life got in the way. But I did it!!!! So yeah.   
> Please do comment and all that because I am beyond insane to know how this went. Haven't written fan stuff in a while as now I freelance write for a living lol


	17. After all these years...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And they are together again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that concludes it. Written in Arnold Cafe in Milano. If ANYONE wants to read some shorts on the bitties interacting with kids tell me :D it's a bit of a sad story but still haha

My Grumpy Edgy,

If you ever find this, I doubt I will be here to hide this from you again. But trust me I wish I could stay by your side! Forever and ever. Sometimes life just isn’t as easy as we want it to be. There are going to be times when you miss me, and there are going to be times when you hate me, too. But trust me it’s fine! I am so happy that you were here for me, that you helped make my lasts few days a little brighter. Please, please don’t forget how amazing you are and how you and Curly made a dying girl so happy! I love you and I will love you forever. Please don’t think of me and cry. Smile because of the things that happened. To me, to you, to us! It was beautiful while it lasted and that’s what matters the most. 

I am sure that one day we will somehow meet again.  
Love, 

Your Human

My Dearest Curly!

I don’t even know how to tell you how much I adore you! You are one of the most amazing little creatures that this planet has seen and you should never ever forget that. Be happy, don't ever lose your smile! And take care of that silly grumpy skeleton of ours! I hope that when we see each other again, you will be the same. Because you are sure perfect this way! Just be yourself, smile and make others smile! 

Sweetheart, I included a number at the end of this letter. When you are ready, call it! I am sure that it will help – and I sure hope that you will not just overlook it. There are other people who need you two. Little people that need a smile turned upside down, like mine was.  
And I know you will help them.

Love you until the end and more, 

Mama

And that was how Edgy had found his new purpose. With the help of Curly who called the number (he was convinced the skeleton would mess up or be too rude) and their one and only human.

It was difficult. Not the type of job or hobby that got easier as time passed. Crowds were coming and going and familiar faces often blended into one.

But it gave them the reason to fight.

Ill children often had no one. With their parents working long hours to afford the hospital, the surgeries... Many many days they were so lonely. 

And that was where they came in.

Companions – were what the new bittie friends of the hospital called themselves. They were often there just to play with the little ones or soothe them. Curly was amazing with babies – they trusted him and his gentle voice, his soft touch. Edgy was the favorite of many little boys who wanted to be as tough as he showed himself to be. And then there were the others. Orphaned bitties joined from all around the world to help..

Many years passed like that. One morning, Edgy woke to the strangest feeling of happiness in his chest. Almost as if joy just seeped back into his boned...

And he knew it : she was out there somewhere, waiting for him.

And he was ready to run into her arms.

Only, he didn’t expect her to be so... young!

The End

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr (for all of my stuff until it's needed (I don't get much attention there haha) is http://katakatica.tumblr.com/  
> the bittybones AU is not mine, but I have added my own tiny twist to it (hope it is alright ^^). Uh... expect frequent updates because I'm really feeling this one... But I'm not sure if that's a good thing considering how sad I think ti will get... uh..much love for reading this?  
> #sociallawkwardwritershuffleaway


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